By Horacio Rentería
CHULA VISTA — Visibly moved, Chula Vista Police Chief Roxana Kennedy recalled that a little more than three decades ago she attended Southwestern College (SWC), where she graduated from the Police Academy and began her career in law enforcement and public safety.
Thirty-four years later, the SWC Foundation presented her with the 2025 Jaguar Award, which, according to the organization, honors “exceptional individuals who embody the Jaguar spirit.”
“Thank you for this incredible honor,” Kennedy said, expressing pride and gratitude for the support she received from her family “when I graduated from the College.”
PRIDE IN HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Kennedy highlighted the importance of the instruction, knowledge, and training she received at Southwestern College, and the role it played in the development and success of its graduates.
“We are deeply proud to count her as an alumna and look forward to celebrating her many achievements,” the Foundation stated on its Facebook page.
Kennedy was recognized during the Jaguar Awards Luncheon, held November 7 at the newly opened Gaylord Pacific & Convention Center.
According to the Southwestern College Foundation, after beginning her career as a Southwestern College officer, Kennedy “now serves as the 24th Chief of Police for the City of Chula Vista, and the first woman and the first person to be promoted internally to the position in more than 67 years.”
INNOVATIVE PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEMS
The Foundation also highlighted innovative public safety initiatives implemented under Kennedy’s leadership, including the use of drones as first responders and the Live 911 system.
These tools, it noted, have transformed emergency response and strengthened public safety in the city.
THE HEART BEHIND THE BADGE
Beyond her work at the Chula Vista Police Department, Kennedy is co-founder of the Women Leaders in Law Enforcement Foundation and president of Project Compassion, an organization that leads international medical missions.
However, it is her own phrase — “the heart behind the badge” — that most clearly conveys the profoundly human approach of Chief Roxana Kennedy, who was described at the Jaguar Awards Luncheon as “a true example of leadership, legacy, and commitment to the community.”